37
~Elara's POV
I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it, my chest heaving, hot tears slipping down my cheeks. I didn't even bother to lock it at first, just let myself sink to the floor. My fingers clenched into the soft carpet as I whispered, "Why… why did I even think that he would choose me over Lira?"
The dress lay in a crumpled heap beside me, glossy and red, the fabric mocking me even now. I yanked it off angrily, hating the way it had made me feel exposed and ridiculous. My shoulders shook as more tears spilled, and I pressed my face to my knees, wishing I could disappear.
"I must have looked… so stupid," I murmured into the floor.
Somewhere in the dark of my room, sleep came, shaky and uneven, and I let myself fall into it, though my dreams were messy, filled with him and that red dress and a million ways I could fail him.
